APS Education Foundation Grant Programs

The Foundation's annual grant programs have grown significantly since we launched the Horizons Campaign in 2009. Where we once funded only mini-grants in STEM, Literacy and Math, our efforts have grown to include clubs and activities, and most recently, larger grants for school-wide projects. In 2018-19, we plan to award over half a million dollars to the schools, classrooms and programs of Albuquerque Public Schools.

Walmart Blue Sky Awards

APS principals at the middle school level may apply for a Walmart Blue Sky Award of up to $10,000 to fund a effort improve school climate, impact student engagement or improve academic achievement. Projects designed to ease student transition into middle school or prepare them for high school are also welcome. Requests for the 2018-19 funding cycle will open March 1 and will close April 12. Learn more about Blue Sky Awards here.

Success Awards

APS principals at the elementary, middle or high school level or department-level directors may apply for a Success Award to support innovative school-level proposals designed to advance student achievement. The APS Education Foundation will accept applications between $10,000 and $25,000. Key criteria include the number of students to be served and the potential of the project to support student academic achievement. Requests for proposals for Fall 2018 cycle will open August 13 and will close September 11. Requests for proposals for Spring 2019 cycle will open January 14 and will close February 15. Learn more about Success Awardshere.

Guhl Literacy Awards

APS principals at the elementary level may apply for a Guhl Literacy Award to support innovative school-level proposals designed to advance student literacy. The APS Education Foundation will accept applications for projects between $15,000 and $35,000. Key criteria include the innovation of the project and the potential of the project to improve student literacy, including student bilingual literacy. Requests for proposals for 201819 grant cycle will open August 13 and will close September 11. Learn more about Guhl Literacy Awards here.

Horizon Awards

APS employees may apply for a Horizon Award, a competitive grant of between $1,500 for a single classroom and $5,000 for a team including multiple classrooms. Proposals are welcomed from elementary, middle and high schools in the areas of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), Fine Arts and Literacy. Key criteria include the number of students to be served and both the impact and innovation of the proposal. Horizon is a “blind” grant, meaning submissions are judged by members of the Foundation Board and other community members without identifying the school or employee. Requests for proposals for the 2018-19 cycle will open August 27 and will close September 24. Learn more about Horizon Awards here.

Achieve Awards

APS employees may apply for an Achieve Award, a competitive grant supporting clubs and student activities at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Proposals can be for any amount between $250 and $10,000, although please note that funding is limited and large grants will be rare. Key criteria include the number of students to be served and the potential of the project to support student engagement through clubs and extracurricular activities. The Achieve grant is a “blind” grant, meaning submissions are judged by members of the Foundation Board and other community members without identifying the school or employee. Please note that there will be two cycles of Achieve Awards in 2018-2019. Requests for proposals for Fall 2018 cycle will open August 27 and will close September 24. Requests for proposals for Spring 2019 cycle will open January 14 and will close February 15. Learn more about Achieve Awards here.

T.I.G. (Transformative Idea Grant) Awards

The Transformative Idea Grant (The T.I.G.) is an effort from the APS Education Foundation and Technology Integration Group to improve school climate, increase student engagement or improve academic achievement. Proposals of up to $10,000 will be accepted. In recognition of the timing of this grant, the project should be implemented during the 2019-2020 school year. Key criteria include showing results in keeping students in school, giving them a heightened chance for success in their academic futures, or improve the learning environment for a large number of students. No technology requests can be a part of this application. Requests for proposals will be in Spring 2019 and will open March 1 and close on April 12, 2019. Learn more about the T.I.G. Awards here.

Varsity Awards

Varsity Awards are directed by the APS Education Foundation's student board members to address a student-informed need. In 2017-2018, the Varsity Awards made grants to the AVID program for college visits and to the Career Enrichment Center for ACT prep classes. No applications are accepted for this award. Learn more about Varsity Awards here.

Excellence Awards

Have an urgent need that doesn't fit into any of these grant programs? The Foundation's Board of Directors sets aside money each year to handle requests that may not fit into one of these existing awards or occur outside our granting windows. To ask about whether your need might qualify, please contact Executive Director, Shannon Barnhill.